Cranberry Nut Bread
This cranberry nut bread is soft, moist, and full of tart cranberries and crunchy nuts. It’s a simple quick bread that’s perfect for the fall season.
You may also love my cinnamon twist bread and sourdough pumpkin bread.
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Easy Cranberry Walnut Bread Recipe
I love a good quick bread, especially when it’s loaded with cranberries and crunchy nuts. This one bakes up tender with the perfect amount of sweet and tart.
The orange zest brightens the flavor, and the glaze adds a little bit of extra sweetness.
This cranberry bread is great for sharing during the holidays or any time you’ve got fresh or dried cranberries on hand.
How to Make Cranberry Nut Bread
Here’s a quick snapshot of how I make this bread. The full recipe is further down the page.
Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan then line it with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, milk, oil, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and orange zest until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined. The batter should be thick similar to muffin batter. Fold in the chopped cranberries and walnuts. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes, then reduce to 350°F for 50–60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Whisk together the powdered sugar and orange juice in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bread and let it set before slicing.
Recipe Variations
This quick bread is easy to customize. The cinnamon adds a little bit of warmth and fall flavor, but you can leave it out and have the hint of orange zest by itself.
Speaking of orange, you can skip the juice and use milk in the glaze if you’d like to make this cranberry bread without orange juice.
Chopped walnuts are my favorite, but pecans are another great option.
Use a neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil to keep the texture moist and the flavor light. Avocado or olive oil can also be used if it’s a light tasting oil without a heavy aftertaste.
Mini loaf pans make great gifts. Make sure to reduce the bake time and check with a toothpick for doneness.
Can I use dried cranberries instead of fresh?
Yes, you can. For the best texture, soak the dried cranberries in hot water for about 10 minutes, then drain well before adding them to the batter.
Why did my bread turn out dense?
Overmixing the batter can make the texture heavy. Stir until the dry ingredients are just combined.
Also, make sure that you’ve measured the ingredients properly and aren’t using too much flour.
How to Store Leftovers
If the loaf is already glazed, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
For longer storage, skip glazing the entire loaf and instead add the glaze to individual slices as needed.
To freeze, leave off the glaze and wrap the loaf or slices in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw at room temperature, then add the glaze before serving.
More Fall Recipes
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Ingredients
For the Bread:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup canola oil, or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
For the Glaze:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons orange juice, or milk
Instructions
To Make the Bread:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.2 cups all-purpose flour1 ½ teaspoons baking powder½ teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In a large bowl, whisk the sour cream, milk, oil, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and orange zest until smooth.½ cup sour cream¼ cup milk½ cup canola oil2 large eggs1 cup granulated sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 teaspoon orange zest
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir gently until just combined and no dry pockets remain.
- Fold in the cranberries and walnuts. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.1 ½ cups fresh cranberries½ cup chopped walnuts
- Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes, then reduce to 350°F for 50–60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
To Make the Glaze:
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth, then drizzle over the cooled bread.¾ cup powdered sugar1 to 2 tablespoons orange juice
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Suggested Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Meet Kim
Hi, I’m Kim Vargo! I love making scratch-made desserts and classic dinners that bring back a little nostalgia. Whether it’s a stovetop meal or a simple pasta bake, I’m all about good food made without the extra fuss.
